Highlights
- 66 per cent of UK adults worry about public health effects of ultra-processed foods.
- 77 per cent want clear warning labels on foods containing ultra-processed ingredients.
- UPFs make up 50 per cent of dietary share in UK and US compared to below 25 per cent in Mediterranean countries and Asia.
Two thirds of UK adults believe the next generation will suffer poorer health due to ultra-processed foods, with 39 per cent calling for them to be banned, according to a new survey.
The study for retailer Lakeland found that 59 per cent of adults believe UPFs are "impossible to avoid" when shopping on a budget, highlighting the financial barriers to healthier eating.
Two thirds (66 per cent) are worried about the effects of ultra-processed foods on public health, while 68 per cent believe the government should do more to protect people from them.
An equal proportion (66 per cent) think supermarkets should take more responsibility for the UPFs they sell.
A significant majority (77 per cent) want clear warning labels on food containing ultra-processed ingredients, while three quarters (74 per cent) say children should be taught at school about the dangers of UPFs and the importance of home cooking.
The survey found that a quarter of adults (24 per cent) do not know how to recognise the presence of UPFs in food products.
Health and habits
Examples of ultra-processed foods include ice cream, processed meats, crisps, mass-produced bread, some breakfast cereals, biscuits, many ready meals and fizzy drinks.
UPFs often contain high levels of saturated fat, salt, sugar and additives, as well as preservatives, emulsifiers and artificial colours and flavours not typically used in home cooking.
Despite health concerns, 44 per cent say they do not have time to cook from scratch, while 16 per cent believe it is too complicated and 19 per cent think it would cost too much.
However, more people are attempting to cook from scratch, with 31 per cent doing so more in the last year, 35 per cent more in the last two years, and 44 per cent in the last five years. A fifth (19 per cent) are cooking from scratch more regularly to avoid UPFs, whilst 25 per cent are doing so to save money.
Wendy Miranda, customer brand ambassador at Lakeland, noted that there are clear benefits to cooking from scratch and knowing exactly what goes into food.
"We encourage our customers to think of the benefits, from nutrition to mindfulness to improving overall energy levels and simply feeling a sense of personal achievement with each cooking creation," she added.
The survey follows warnings from 43 scientists and researchers in The Lancet medical journal in November that UPFs are a leading cause of a "chronic disease pandemic" linked to diet.
The research noted that UPFs are linked to multiple chronic diseases, including an increased risk of obesity, heart disease, cancer and early death.
The dietary share of UPFs remains below 25 per cent in countries such as Italy, Cyprus, Greece, Portugal and across Asia, but reaches 50 per cent in the US and UK, according to the research.
Mortar Research surveyed 2,000 UK adults in January.
